Indonesian people pay more attention to the traditions of their ancestors; in this case, for example, is the grave pilgrimage. Today, it’s common knowledge that some groups do not like and consider the pilgrimage to the grave as an un-Islamic heresy. Therefore, there are efforts to prohibit the pilgrimage of tombs for various reasons and arguments used. The prohibition is to use the name of the institution or religion. It is incomplete if it is not given a verse from the Koran or the hadith of Kanjeng Nabi Muhammad SAW.
Even so, it’s a collective necessity as a Javanese society to constantly guard, maintain, and practice the cultural heritage of their ancestors that does not contradict the substance of Islamic teachings. Of course, the nature of tolerance and respect in interpreting diversity is a universal necessity that we cannot avoid.
Surprisingly, a group that doesn’t like actions labelled with cynical terms, TBC (that stands for Tabayun, Bidah, and C[k]hufarat), among which is the grave pilgrimage to the tombs of the Wali Songo. But, of course, we know Wali Songo is a nickname for saints who struggled to spread Islamic teachings in the archipelago in the 15th and 16th centuries.
In this context, they always ask where the argument is, where the verse is, and where is the authentic hadith. They tend to worship the text rather than the context in understanding religion. Well, such a condition cannot be left alone without any tabayun (clarification) with one another. The concept of Wali Songo for those who forbid the pilgrimage to the guardian’s grave is still absurd and ambiguous. Therefore, it seems reasonable when the mukhatab is the general public who still needs to be showered with Islamic values both from the doctrinal and muamalah sides.
As a native, I called it Wali Songo. The word is more familiar than the title wali nine. The term Wali Songo is associated with a group of broadcasters or religious propagators in Java who lives in holiness so that they have high inner strengths, are knowledgeable and have extraordinary supernatural powers, have jaya-kawajiyan knowledge, and are sacred.
It would be no exaggeration if Prof. Dr Simuh said that the number nine is magical in Java and does not come from the santri culture. Prof. Simuh’s view is closely related to the cosmology of the Hindu Javanese people, who believe that the universe is governed and protected by the gods guarding the winds.
The existence of Wali Songo as a saint or holy person is also closely related to the archipelago. However, the embellishment of Islam Nusantara only reached its peak when Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) used the congress theme with Islam Nusantara as the grand theme of the congress, which took place in Jombang in 2019.
Nevertheless, Wali Songo and the idea of Islam Nusantara are getting grounded, so it is not strange if the Indonesian people understand the substance of the existence of Wali Songo and the conception of Nusantara-style Islam universally.
As we all understand that the term Islam has a new and profound scope of meaning as Islam is the religion of the heavens. The archipelago or Nusantara has a specific meaning that is more directed to local wisdom and culture rooted in Indonesia. These two words have historical relevance and broad meanings so that the result of “Syncretism” produces a new, more innovative-progressive seed, namely Islam Nusantara.
In line with that, Ahmad Baso, a Muslim intellectual in his work Islam Nusantara, explained that Islam Nusantara is like a synthesis of the meeting of two superior tree seeds of different types. Still, when put together in the process of crossing, they produce a new, excellent source.
A cross between Islam and Nusantara is needed to obtain a “New Genius” with the desired unique character or traits. It’s hoped that from this cross, a new way of religion and civilization will emerge with superior characteristics due to the combination of the two advantages. This “New Genius” was later called Din Arab Jawi or Islam Nusantara.
The second meeting is needed to provide solutions to humanity’s problems in general and in particular to the problems of our nationality as a nation bound by the land and sea unity of the archipelago. We are Muslim Indonesians, meaning we must have a voice in interpreting and practising Islam. We are not just per se passive-defensive Muslims and ingest what comes from Arabia.
Not only that, Ahmad Baso explained that when Islam and Nusantara were combined or crossed, a “New Genius” emerged called Islam Nusantara. These seeds grow healthy and can survive in any environment gripping situation, auto-perfective, tolerant, and adaptive to their environment so that they can grow and thrive, do not wear out quickly, are damaged or fail to produce.
With these different crosses, it is hoped that new varieties or species will emerge that have the combined superior characteristics of the two parent species, namely populism, exoticism, high quality of civilization and resilience to various conditions and challenges of nature and the environment. And that new species is Nusantara Islam.
As a result, in reading the history of Wali Songo, we are always tossed around between myth and fact. As a result, when we convey it, we feel less or even less confident. This fact is very disappointing and has resulted in the erosion of the historical-spiritualist knowledge of the Indonesian Islamic community.
Therefore, Agus Sunyoto, in the book Atlas Wali Songo said that we could not underestimate the existence of Wali Songo as a unitary saint. It has been proven that the guardians have formulated a propaganda strategy or cultural strategy in a more systematic way, mainly how to deal with Javanese and Nusantara culture in general, which is very old, strong, and well established.
As it turned out, the guardians had a sage method. They introduced Islam not immediately, not in an instant way. Therefore they formulated a strategy with a long-term vision. The guardians’ ability to garner the people’s trust through a tireless da’wah journey was accompanied by a very high appreciation from the older religions; Hinduism, Buddhism, Tantrayana, Kapitayan, and others.
The maturity of the guardians’ insight in managing culture has made their teachings accepted by almost the entire archipelago population.
As a result, consciously or not, the influence and services, as well as the social role of Wali Songo at that time, were enormous in spreading the teachings of Islam Ahlussunnah Wal Jama’ah in the archipelago. Now, we’ve enjoyed Islam as the majority religion thanks to Wali Songo, who was willing to fight for Allah’s religion selflessly—just seeking the pleasure of Allah. It would be wonderful if we as a Muslim community were able to maintain the consensus made by Wali Songo and maintain the Islam Nusantara until the last second in life. Wallahu A’lam.
note: translated by editor from Kearifan Budaya, Wali Songo, dan Islam Nusantara – Dunia Santri.